ELECTION 2012: Tim Gray featured in August 16 Palo Alto Weekly

The city's first council election since the switch has attracted the smallest pool of candidates in nearly two decades, with only eight local residents pulling nomination papers from the City Clerk's Office (two of the eight decided not to run: well-known environmentalist Bob Wenzlau and panhandler Victor Frost).

The race for four seats on the nine-member council also includes incumbents Pat Burt and Greg Schmid, former two-time mayor Liz Kniss and Marc Berman, an attorney who served last year on the city's Infrastructure Blue Ribbon Commission, financial consultant Timothy Gray and concert promoter Mark Weiss.
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The Palo Alto City Council race is the smallest candidate pool since 1985, when current Councilman Larry Klein was enjoying his first council stint and running for re-election. He was one of six candidates vying for five seats.

City Clerk Donna Grider said the pool is the smallest she has seen since starting her work with the city more than 13 years ago.
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Gray said he believes that the strong name recognition of the four front-runner candidates may have deterred others from throwing their hat into the race.

"Often times, when a name like Liz's or someone else who is high-profile in terms of traditional city service, like Marc Berman, comes along, people think they're pretty much anointed. They're the 'Chosen Ones,'" Gray said Wednesday as he collected the requisite 25 signatures for his nomination form before submitting it to the City Clerk by the end of the day.